


saccharine

by luminescente



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Cat cafe AU, Fluff to the max, Ignore the title, M/M, jaemin renjun taeyong johnny and ten mentioned, jeno's love for cats, wrote this all in one sitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 12:39:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15685620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luminescente/pseuds/luminescente
Summary: donghyuck works at a cat café as a barista and jeno is a regular even with his obvious allergy to the feline species





	saccharine

**Author's Note:**

> aaaa my first work for this fandom (and in general!)  
> i hope this will give you warm feelings, because i really liked writing it

Donghyuck is wiping down the counter when he hears the bell chime, indicating a new costumer. He puts down the wet rag and makes eye contact with Jeno, before shifting his eyes slightly to the right, where the café's clock reads four P.M.  
Jeno is as punctual as ever.

Said boy makes his way to Donghyuck, a warm smile on his face, and Donghyuck has to tell himself to _get a grip, loser_ , because he is at work and he shouldn't be making eyes at a costumer.

"Your usual?" Donghyuck asks, already taking a cup, and Jeno nods, before directing his gaze to the cats' 'play area', where most of them are having their afternoon naps, laying on sofas and beanbags.

"Orange is playing with another costumer right now," he tells Jeno, and discreetly points to where Orange is cuddled up to a young child, who is feeding her some of the new cat treats Johnny bought last weekend at the pet store.

Jeno doesn't seem bothered, though, but his eyes are already a little red-rimmed. Donghyuck watches him take a seat on his favorite beanbag (by the window, where most cats like to be, in the afternoon, because the sun rays leave warm patches of light on the soft carpet) with his Americano in hand, and he gives it around five minutes before he starts sneezing.

It was strange, at first, seeing someone so evidently allergic to cats coming in an establishment like the one Donghyuck works at, with eight cuddly cats that love to be petted and spoiled, and spend there up to two hours, just drinking his coffee (and sometimes muching on a delicious pastry, courtesy of Taeyong's baking skills) and studying for his classes. Jeno usually starts sneezing as soon as one of the cats comes near him and, if they are in a particular cuddly mood, leaves wig little rashes from where they had rubbed against him.

Jeno never complains, his love for cats clearly bigger than his love for a working respiratory system, but Donghyuck still thinks he is a little bit crazy.

_Crazy but cute_ , had been Jaemin's words, when he had visited Donghyuck during one of his shifts, when Jeno had just started coming to the café. It has been almost two months now, and Jeno never has left a day without visiting.

Donghyuck is not afraid to acknowledge his crush on Jeno (and really, no one can blame him, because Jeno is _gorgeous and kind and always smiles at him and gives him good tips_ ) but he had chosen not to act on it, because Jeno is way out of his league and probably wouldn't have spared him a glance if they had met in different circumstances.

Donghyuck thinks Jeno and Jaemin would look cute together, both beautiful in different ways, and they had seemed to get along swimmingly that one time Donghyuck had introduced them. Jeno and Renjun would make a cute couple, too, now that he thinks about it, remembering how they had instantly connected thanks to their shared love for photography and nature.

Donghyuck doesn't suffer from low self-esteem, he knows he has many good qualities and has had his fair share of boyfriend through his life, but something about Jeno makes him seem... so out of his reach, that Donghyuck doesn't get his hopes up uselessly.

When Donghyuck had shared this with Taeyong and Johnny (and a 'accidentally' eavesdropping Ten hiding behind the door), they had looked at him incredulously, like Donghyuck had just spoken an alien language. They had exchanged glances that Donghyuck couldn't decipher and it was in that moment that Ten had burst form behind the door, making them all jump from the scare in the process.

"Hyuckie, you are so fuc-" a glare form Taeyong' "effig obivious, that boy has been coming here _just for you!_ " he had exclaimed, voice pitched higher than normal. Donghyuck had watched him with wide eyes, because one, who gave him the right to but-in a _private_ conversation, and two, why would he lie like that-

"No man, no matter how much he likes his kitties, would come here two hours, everyday, suffer through constant sneezes and a runny nose without an ulterior motive!" Ten continued, eyes fiery and gesticulating like he always does when he is trying to make a point, "and that ulterior motive is clearly your beautiful face and amazing personality."

Donghyuck had blushed, stammering a quick denial, and had left the three of them in the changing room, seeking refuge in the bathroom.

So here he is now, three days, later, still thinking about it, now more than ever, watching Jeno pet a purring Lemon, while Coconut is well on her way to fall asleep, cuddled up in his lap.

_Ten wouldn't lie about something like that_ , he thinks, and takes a hesitant step in his direction. The café is quiet today, with a few customers (a mall had opened, a block down the street, just last week) and maybe it's that what gives him the courage to actually try, today, after weeks of pining.

Of course he isn't in love with Jeno, _yet_ , but he would definitely like to know him better, wants to see what he looks like laughing and happy, wants to know what his dreams are and if he would like to get to know Donghyuck better, too.

Jeno looks up and smiles (and sneezes) at him when Donghyuck arrives in front of him, and he almost loses his voice, but he soldiers on, because he made a decision and he will stick to it.

"Tomorrow is my day off, do you want to go out with me for coffee?".

Coconut is still on his lap, so Jeno signs for him to get closer, and Donghyuck complies.

Jeno laces their fingers together and says, mirth clear in his voice, "for once without sneezing and cats, yeah?".

**Author's Note:**

> let's be friends! find me on twitter @deidizogu


End file.
